He truly loves her
by Tara1517
Summary: He adores his wife so much. Even in her craziest moments. And he will keep loving her no matter what. ZUTARA post-war. one-shot


"I'm freezing" murmured Zuko for the hundredth time, as he wiped his freezing, red nose and pulled his parka tighter around him, trying somehow to block the cold wind.

He loves his wife. He really does. He does anything she asks him and tries to please her in every way possible. Especially now, in her current state. The doctor said she mustn't get upset, because it isn't good for the baby. And so, when she wants a strawberry pie in the middle of the night, he goes to find her one. When she says she wants to go to ember island for old time's sake, he drops everything and goes with her. When she's in a bad mood, due to the hormones the doctors had said, he sits quietly in a corner and watches her yell and scream about little things as he waits for her to cool off. And when she demands to go to the South Pole, saying that she misses her family and she is miserable here, he has no other option than to listen to her wills.

And now here he is, sitting outside on the snow, cold and miserable and … cold. And he just wants desperately to go home. Is it too much to ask?

Some tribesmen, had taken him to a hunt trip with leader, Sokka of course (he was the one who wanted him most to humiliate himself in front of the people of his wife) He had ended up being hunted by a polar Bear that had almost eaten him alive. Sokka was laughing so hard all the way to home and he had caught some of the men snickering at him. He had given them a death glare and they had stopped. These animals were enormous. They couldn't blame him for being scared. They were used to them. He, on the other hand…

"Zuko!" His head shot up as he heard his wife's yells. He moved to his feet in seconds, running to her, afraid that something might have happened.

He found her kneeling down, her back facing him, her gloved hands buried in the snow, supporting her weight and he could see a large spot of blood in the snow next to her. His heart fell to his stomach as he run to her with all the effort he could master.

"Katara!" he screamed. He kneeled to her side, afraid to look down. He put a shaking hand around her shoulders and panicked as he saw her clothes, soaked with blood.

"What happened?!" He asked, his voice shaking.

"He's dead" she whispered and only then he looked down and saw the baby wolf that they had found a month ago. Sparky, she had named him because she had said he was as moody and hot tempered as himself. He couldn't help but let out a shaking, relieved breath. They were okay. She was okay. His child was okay.

He gathered her in his arms, hugging tightly her and the child that was growing within her. He buried his face in her soft hair and inhaled deeply her smell. Fresh flowers just like he remembered.

"You scared me" he whispered to her and hugged her tighter. He took her face in his hands and wiped away her tears and he kissed her forehead gently. She buried her face in his chest and sobbed quietly.

"He was a baby Zuko. He didn't deserve to die. Not like this." She said between sobs. "Who could have done that?."

"Shhh don't cry my love" he said "We're going to bury him, okay?" He said gently, trying to calm her.

She nodded her head against his chest, her hands trembling where they were clenching his parka tightly, her shoulders shaking either from the cold or the tears.

"Please don't cry honey" he rubbed her back "Because then, our bady won't be fine" he said "You don't want our baby to be harmed, do you?" She shook her head. "Good. Let's get you to the home now to change and rest." He moved her to her feet, but her knees gave away and if it wasn't for his strong arms to hold her she could have fallen.

"I'm sorry" she said "Just … let me rest for a minute."

"There's no need for that." He said and with one swift move, he picked her up in his arms. She didn't complained just leaned her head against his chest and closed her eyes as he started walking.

"Wait … Sparky?" She asked him.

"I'll have someone to bring him, don't worry."

She nodded her head as she felt sleep coming to get her.

…

The other morning they buried her wolf. Zuko opened a hole in a hill, placing there the wolf gently and then closing it. He said a few words and then they left.

…

"Here, I brought you food" Zuko said as he took a sit beside her at the cliff, that was looking out to the sea. He handed her the tray with a the bowl of hot soup and a loaf of bread, but she just looked it.

"I'm not hungry" she said simply, turning her gaze out to the sea again. He sighed.

"Katara, you must eat. You have barely eaten anything for two days." He tried.

"I said I'm not hungry!" She yelled at him and he was ready to yell back at her, but took a few breaths, reminding himself that she was sad about the wolf and rather moody, and he tried again.

"Please my love. Do it for the baby." He said "It must be starving now." He rest a hand on her shoulder, rubbing soothing circles, in an attempt to relax her.

She eyed again the bowl and with an angry glare at him, took it in her hands and start eating. He smiled to himself and congrats him.

When she finished, she set it down and looked at him.

"It's wasn't that hard now, huh?"

She narrowed her eyes at him and turned to watch the sea again. She was calmed, except for a few, small waves here and there. She was sitting silent, her hands folded in her lap and her hair flying with the wind. It was breaking his heart seeing her like this, sad and broken instead of her cheerful, smiling self. He understoond her behavior but in her state, it woun't do anything good to the baby this. Physically and emotionally.

"Katara" he started carefully "I'm sad about the wolf-"

"He has a name you know" she cut him. He sighed.

"…about … Sparky too, but we can't do anything, just accept the fact that he is … you know." He saw her frown and her watery eyes and he clasped her hands with his own. "Look, if I could, believe me, I would bring him back, but I can't. I don't tell you to forget him but Katara … your behavior might affect and the baby" he looked her right in the eye "Have you thought about that?!" He raised a little his voice. There was silence for a few moments and then she suddenly threw her arms around him and buried her face in his neck.

"I'm sorry" she said against his neck "I'm so sorry" he put his arms around her.

"I'm going to be a terrible mum, Zuko" she sobbed.

"No!" He pulled her away from him to look her in the face. He wiped her tears with his thumbs as he put his forehead against hers. "Don't you ever think this" he whispered "You're going to be the best mom in the world." She giggled through her tears and he smiled at her.

"How do you know?" She breathed against his lips.

"I just know" he said and then he kissed her. She sighed as his warm lips touch her cool ones and wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him closer. He pushed her slowly down to the snow, as he came over her, trying to keep his weight off of the little swell on her belly. He turned his head to the side for a better angle, to deepen the kiss as her hands found his black hair. He pushed his tongue inside her mouth when she parted her lips, and ran it along her teeth then toying with her bottom lip. He broke the kiss, never lifting his lips from her skin as he moved to her jaw and down to the base of her neck were the clothing was starting, leaving a trail of wet, sloppy kisses. She could feel his heat coming in waves off of him and cursed the many clothing that were separating their skins.  
She moved her hands, somehow under his parka, running them across his shoulders and chest and moaned when he rolled his hips very slowly against hers.

"Aaah!" she yelped and her hands went to her belly.

"What is it?" He moved himself off of her, sitting at her side. "Did I do something?" he asked panicked, as he saw her hands wrapping around her belly.

She lifted her head and looked at him with a big smile.

"Zuko, I think that … it kicked" she whispered. He looked at her with wide eyes.

"Really?!" He moved his hands on her belly. They waited for a few moments in silence.

"There!" He said happily. "It kicked! It kicked again!" He said with a big smile. Her heart warmed at the sight. She wiped a few tears that had escaped her eyes as he lifted her parka and kissed her belly through the clothing.

"I think it likes his dad very much" she said playfully "Should I be worried?" She joked.

Zuko kissed her quickly and took her arms, lifting her up. "Come on! We must tell the others! I should probably sent a letter to mom and uncle too!" He told her happily, his golden eyes shining with pride. He dragged her behind him, the tray forgotten. The villagers send them curious glances as they saw the Firelord dragging his wife behind him, stopping every few minutes to kiss her.

And Zuko is sure of one thing as he is watching her family putting their hands to her belly, trying to feel the child moving. He truly loves his wife. Yeah… That's explains everything.

…


End file.
